


way down we go

by xTarmanderx



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Human, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Jenna Geyer is a blessing, M/M, Theo is recovering from a bad situation
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-27
Updated: 2020-08-27
Packaged: 2021-03-07 00:55:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,280
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26148298
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xTarmanderx/pseuds/xTarmanderx
Summary: Theo Raeken hasn’t had it easy for the past few years. When his luck strikes out, he’s thrown into the last possible situation that he could have expected: becoming roommates with Liam Dunbar, captain of the lacrosse team and the biggest jerk Theo’s ever met.
Relationships: Liam Dunbar/Theo Raeken
Comments: 14
Kudos: 48





	way down we go

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Auddieliz09](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Auddieliz09/gifts).
  * Inspired by [What Happens on the Roof...](https://archiveofourown.org/works/18662551) by [Auddieliz09](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Auddieliz09/pseuds/Auddieliz09). 



> For Autumn, whom I love and share half a brain cell with. Happy Birthday, my dear friend! I love you and I hope that you enjoy.

_ Beep. Beep. Beep.  _

The steady beep and hum of nearby machinery makes his head spin. There’s a bright light making itself known beyond his eyelids and he groans, trying to lift a hand to block it out. His wrist jerks, metal clinking against something, and he peels his eyes open to stare down at the handcuff holding him hostage. Well, shit. He tries to sit up, but pain flares through his abdomen and he’s quick to sink back against the bed with a grimace. 

It takes a single glance around the room to realize that he’s in the hospital. Not just in the hospital, but he’s under some kind of watch. The door to his room is shut, but he glimpses the blue uniform of an officer through the glass. He tries to think back, but the pounding in his skull makes that an impossible task. Was one of the fights busted up?

“Dr. Geyer, I just need a minute of your time.” A woman speaks up outside of his door. Theo presses himself back against the sheets, tugging uselessly at his handcuff. It doesn’t seem like it’s going anywhere. 

“I’ll be with you in a moment, Ms. Monroe. If you’ll excuse me, I have a patient that needs to be seen.” The handle to his door turns and Theo sighs, watching as a dark-skinned man wearing a white coat enters the room. “Mr. Raeken. I’m glad to see that you’re awake.” 

“Sure. Yeah. Completely glad to be here,” Theo mutters. He wants to sound a little more badass, but there’s a rasp from his throat being dry and he doubts he looks all that intimidating with wires sticking everywhere. “Am I some kind of criminal?” He rattles the cuff and the doctor shakes his head, brows knitting together. “Then why chain me up like one?”

“For your protection.”

“Yeah, I feel real fucking  _ safe  _ right now.” He spits. 

“Give me just one moment.” The man excuses himself and slips right back out the door. Theo can hear his low murmur, but he can’t make out the words. When the door opens again, his doctor is accompanied by the officer that was standing guard. The man wordlessly crosses over to him, bringing out a set of keys and undoing the cuff. Theo brings his hand up against his chest, massaging his wrist while glowering up at the man. 

“Afraid I’m going to make a run for it?” He sneers. 

“More afraid that the guys from the ring were going to come after you. Just got word that they’ve been apprehended.” The officer secures the handcuffs to his belt and tucks the keys into his pocket. “Do I have to worry about you running?” He arches a brow and Theo presses his lips together. He’s not stupid enough to answer that. 

“I’ll take it from here, Mr. Vasquez. Thank you for your service.” His doctor shakes hands with the man and he nods, shuffling toward the doorway. 

“We’re going to stick around for a couple more hours in case anyone shows up, but the immediate threat is gone. I’m going to report to the sheriff and I’ll be back.” He says over his shoulder before he’s gone. 

“Sorry about that.” The doctor returns his attention to Theo and offers a smile. “My name is David Geyer and I’m-“

“Save it. Am I stuck here?” Theo asks, sitting up. His midsection throbs in protest and spots fill his vision. 

“I would like you to stay while we run some tests. You’ve broken three ribs and are suffering from a concussion. I’d like you to stay overnight so we can observe additional side effects from your concussion. And in the morning, Child Protective Services will have found a place for you to stay.” Theo’s stomach drops. The last thing he wants is to be bounced from foster home to foster home until he’s out on his ass. He’s pretty sure he’s got enough money hidden away that he can make a clean break out of town. He doesn’t have any ID except his license, but that should be enough to get him where he needs to be. Besides, he’ll be seventeen in a couple of months. That’s practically an adult in the eyes of California law. 

“...okay,” he murmurs quietly. “Can I get something to drink?” He watches as the man turns away to fill him a cup of water and clenches his fingers, swallowing around the lump in his throat. They’re not going to take him. He’s not letting it happen. 

“Here you go.” Dr. Geyer presses a cup into his hands and Theo tries not to shake as he accepts it. “I’m going to order some lab tests and blood work. When I get back, we can talk about the next steps.” He starts to turn, but something makes him pause and look back at Theo. “You’re going to be okay, son.”

“Yeah. Right.” Sipping from the cup, Theo averts his gaze and tries not to bristle as the doctor continues to look at him. It takes a moment for the older man to leave the room, but the second he does Theo throws back the sheet that’s covering him. Gripping the railing, he eases himself upright into a sitting position and carefully moves his legs over the side of the bed. Shaky fingers undo his hospital gown and he grabs a plastic bag sitting on a chair that holds his clothes. They’re covered in blood, but it’s better than walking around with his ass hanging out. 

He sits down twice while putting on his gym shorts, spots making his vision turn hazy. None of that matters. It’s not going to stop him from getting the fuck out of dodge. He just needs to play it cool and sneak past the nurse’s station. He slips on his tank top, grimacing as he sees dark spots that no doubt carry blood. He’s not looked in the mirror yet, but he knows he looks like hell. There are bruises up and down his arms, some faded and many fresh, and his torso is littered with dark, ugly marks. He can’t remember his last fight, but it must have been a doozy. He almost wants to throw the top away, but it’s black and he’s pretty sure no one but him will realize that it’s covered in blood unless they get too close. And if there’s one thing Theo’s good at, it’s getting distance between him and the rest of the world. 

He slides into his Chuck Taylor’s and edges toward the door, carefully cracking it open. There’s no one in the immediate vicinity and his shoulders slump with relief. He’s almost there. He just has to make it to the elevator and he’s home free. 

-

“Yes, mom. Straight home after I give dad his food.” Liam rolls his eyes at his phone and immediately winces. “No ma’am, I didn’t roll my eyes at you.” He doesn’t know how she’s psychic, but he swears his mother isn’t human. She seems to know everything. “I love you, too. I’ll be home in an hour. And hey, don’t forget that you’ve got a bottle of wine chilling in the freezer. If it breaks, I’m not helping you clean out the fridge.” He warns. Grinning, he ends the call and slides his phone into his pocket. Punching the button for the elevator, he shifts back and rocks on his heels until the bell dings and the doors slide open. 

The smell of Indian food filling the elevator makes his mouth water and he stares sadly down at the paper bag hanging from his arm. All he wants is to take a bite of his dad’s meal, but he restrains himself. Barely. He knows there’s a full meal that will be on the table by the time he gets home, he just has to stay strong until then. He can do it. But the lamb smells absolutely divine and he groans, thumping his head against the wall. He knew he shouldn’t have skipped lunch in favor of an extended lacrosse practice. 

The door opens and he steps off, excusing himself as he slips past a nurse and doctor that are deep in discussion and almost plow into him. He tries to brush off his annoyance and changes the plastic bag onto his other arm, looking around to see if his stepfather is in sight. He knows that he can drop off the food with Melissa, but he likes to see David when he can. Even if it’s just for a split second to get a hug, it always brightens Liam’s day. He’s pretty sure that there aren’t any surgeries on his schedule, but there had been a car accident just a few miles away and Liam knows all too well how those can change things in the blink of an eye. David’s had to rush from the dinner table to the hospital too many times. 

As he turns the corner, he drops his gaze to secure the plastic bag hanging around his wrist. One of the handles is dangerously close to snapping and the last thing he needs is for food to be spilled everywhere. He’s a little clumsy and knows from experience what a bitch it is to clean in the middle of the hallway during busy hours. He’s also not a fan of receiving dirty looks. Those are the worst. You accidentally get a cherry slushy on  _ one _ nurse and suddenly everyone is acting like he’d killed someone. 

He looks up again just in time to get a glimpse of a classmate. Theo fucking Raeken is barreling toward him, not paying attention as he throws looks over his shoulder. He doesn’t know why the class slacker is here at the hospital, but he really doesn’t care. Theo Raeken is the biggest dick in the world and Liam’s pretty sure that if he punched him a few times, he could readjust his attitude. Theo ‘too cool for school’ Raeken sleeps through every class they have together and-

“Hey!” is all Liam manages to get out before the pair go toppling to the ground together. The plastic bag goes flying, contents spilling everywhere, and it’s a concentrated effort not to look like a complete idiot sprawled across the floor. His back slams into the tile and he grunts, head falling back as Theo clips his chin. Scowling, he takes a moment to orient himself and shoves the obnoxiously dumb asshole off of him. Theo barely gets himself right before his shoulders shake, vomit spewing from his lips. 

“Shit! Fuck!” Scrambling to draw his legs back, Liam scoots himself across the floor to put distance between them. “You dick!” 

“Fuck,” Theo rasps. As Liam scowls at him, he wipes the back of his hand against his mouth and damn near pitches forward. It’s David that keeps him upright, locking arms around his shoulder as he bends down. 

“Take it easy, Theo. I’ve got you.” He promises softly. “Liam, are you okay?” Concerned eyes flick in his direction and he nods, picking himself up off the floor. He glances over at the plastic bag that’s sitting a few feet away, the contents halfway spilled out. 

“Sorry, dad. I was trying to bring you a late lunch and this  _ asshole _ knocked us both down-“

“It’s all right, son. Why don’t you go see Melissa and make sure you don’t have a concussion?” 

“No,” Theo shakily lifts a hand and grips at David’s wrist, watery green eyes rising to meet Liam’s. “Don’t let them take me.”

“You fucking barrelled into me, you arrogant dick.” He doesn’t know what the hell Theo is rambling about, but the terrified look in his eyes makes Liam’s neck hair prickle. Before he can ask for details, his stepfather is helping Theo off the floor and escorting him away. A woman turns and follows after him, heels clicking loudly against the tiles. Muttering under his breath, he makes his way to the nurse’s station and rubs the back of his neck. “Ms. McCall?” He asks, glancing at the curly-haired woman who has her back to him. 

“Exam Room 305, Liam. I’ll be there in just a moment.” Sighing, he shoves his hands into his pockets and turns on his heel. It doesn’t take long to find the exam room and he hops up onto the bed, pulling out his phone to send his mom a quick text. She’s going to be pissed that David’s gotta go longer without food, but it’s Theo fucking Raeken’s fault. Just thinking about that prick makes his lips twist down. As he opens up a new message to send to Mason, the door opens and Melissa steps into the room. 

“Hey, Liam. I thought I told you after lacrosse last season that I didn’t want to see you here again.” She smiles playfully, pulling a penlight from her breast pocket. “Looked like quite the fall you had. Does anything hurt?”

“I didn’t  _ fall, _ I was pushed.” He says, shoving his phone into his pocket. “I didn’t even hit my head that hard.”

“Better safe than sorry, kiddo. Follow the light with your eyes for me.” Sighing, Liam does as told. 

“What’s the douchebag doing here, anyways?” He asks. The light movement falters for a moment and Melissa shakes her head at him. “What?”

“You know I can’t tell you these things, Liam.”

“You told me everything when Mason had stomach surgery last fall,” he grumbles. 

“If I hadn’t, you were going to tear this hospital apart with your bare hands. Besides, everyone knows you two are practically brothers  _ and _ your parents have you and your family listed as emergency contacts.” Winking at him, she moves the light again and he follows it obediently. “Do you know him?”

“He’s the world’s biggest jackass and the resident school slacker. I hate him.”

“Really? I thought you were best friends.” He squints suspiciously at the older woman, but she only grins and pats him on the cheek. “I think you’re all clear, kiddo. Why don’t you head home? I’ll get the janitors to clean up the mess.”

“I can clean it up.”

“It’s all right, Liam. Go home and we’ll get it taken care of.” She clicks the light and tucks it into her pocket, stepping back to let him hop off the bed. 

“Thanks, Ms. McCall. Will you tell my dad I’m sorry?” He asks. She nods, squeezing him on the shoulder, and he slips his hands into his pockets and makes him way back to the elevators. It’s not until he reaches the parking lot that he pulls his phone back out to hit speed dial. 

“Hey, Mason? You’re never going to believe who I saw at the hospital just now…”

-

It’s close to midnight when David pulls into the driveway. The porch light is on and he smiles, loosening his tie as he climbs from his car. When he’s inside, he toes off his shoes and makes his way to the kitchen where light spills through the doorway. “Jenna?” He guesses. 

“Welcome home, honey. Long day at work?” His beautiful wife is sitting on one of the barstools, nursing a beer. She’s wrapped in his maroon bathrobe, blonde hair pinned up in a messy bun with a few stray strands curling around her cheeks. She’s the most beautiful sight in the world and he doesn’t know how the hell he got so lucky to marry such a woman. 

“It wasn’t easy. Any leftovers?” He asks, undoing the top few buttons of his shirt.

“Plenty of them, enough for the next two days. Liam felt pretty bad about your late lunch being lost.” At the mention of it, David closes his eyes and takes a breath. “What’s wrong?” 

“I had this patient today,” he says after a beat. He resumes his trek to the fridge and pulls out the first Tupperware container he sees, setting it on the counter. “It was a teenager, a boy a few months older than Liam.” He can’t fully see the contents inside, but it smells like some kind of stir fry. 

“Let me guess his name: Theo Raeken.” Jenna laughs softly. “Liam came home bitching and moaning about him. His word choice was a lot more colorful.”

“Well, they bumped into each other in the hall. The kid was trying to escape. He came in unconscious, Jen. From first glance, I thought he was being abused at home. I’ve never seen bruises and cuts like those on a teenager. Not to that degree.”

“Did you find out what caused it?” He nods and unsnaps the lid of the container, moving it into the microwave. “Honey…” Stir fry, he was right. It’s drizzled with an unhealthy amount of soy sauce and his mouth damn near waters. Jenna’s a fantastic cook and she’s passed on the trait to Liam. If it wasn’t for the two of them, he’d still be on his couch eating frozen TV trays. 

“His parents died in a car crash when he was younger. Do you remember the Raeken’s?” Pressing the heels of his palms to his eyes, he slumps back against the counter and crosses his ankles. “Died in a car accident a few years ago with their oldest child in the car. A girl, I think.”

“It was awful. That was the surgery you worked, right? The heart transplant?” He nods, opening his eyes to meet Jenna’s worried blue. “What happened to Theo?” He almost doesn’t tell her. Jenna’s got a bleeding heart that she wears on her sleeve. But one look from those imploring eyes and he’s weak in the knees. 

“Apparently his uncle became his legal guardian. He’s been pimping the kid out for street fights, Jenna. He’s an underground fighter. Sounds like he got knocked out during a match and someone called the police. His uncle was on the run, but he’s been caught. And Child Protective Services are at the hospital now, ready to take this kid the moment he’s healed.”

“Oh god…”

“He made a break for it. That’s when he bumped into Liam in the hall. When I got him back on his feet, he was begging me not to take him back. He was terrified of being forced into a foster home. I didn’t know what to do, Jenna. He’s sixteen, almost seventeen, and the system is hard on kids like him.” He knows that he’s preaching to the choir. Jenna’s worked in social services for fifteen years and knows it better than anyone. 

“Have you met his social worker yet?” Jenna gets up and makes her way across the kitchen, kneeling at their bar cart. He smiles a little, grateful that she’s reading his mind. He could use a hard drink. 

“Tamora Monroe.” He says, wincing as Jenna bangs her head against the cart. “Honey, are you-“

“Absolutely  _ not,  _ David. That woman is a nightmare and gives a bad name to all of us. You can’t be serious!” She straightens up and grabs two glasses, setting a bottle down between them. “No. She’s going to ship him off halfway across the county and stick him in some rotten family that doesn’t care about him and I won’t let her!”

“Honey-“

“David, I’m serious. I’m not letting that woman get anywhere near him. Where’s my laptop?” She pours whiskey for both of them and walks over, offering him a glass. 

“Jenna, what do you have in mind?” He asks, raising a brow. 

“What do you think? We’re going to foster him. Bring your food to the living room, we’ve got a long night ahead of us.”

**Author's Note:**

> This is a prequel to the fic ‘What Happens on the Roof’ to detail how Thiam got together. You don’t need to have read that to understand this.


End file.
